Bryant goes on DL with shoulder inflammation

June 26th, 2018

LOS ANGELES -- Cubs third baseman , who has been bothered by soreness in his left shoulder for about a month, was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday with inflammation in the joint, retroactive to Saturday, and said he planned to take advantage of the time off.
Bryant, who was batting .280 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs, has not played since Friday. He said he injured the shoulder during a slide and it hasn't calmed down since.
"I didn't think anything of it," Bryant said of the discomfort he felt at that time. "I think I may have tried to play through it and come back too quick. It wasn't anything debilitating, but swinging more, it kind of flared up. ... We just want it to calm down so it's not a recurring problem."
The Cubs recalled infielder from Triple-A Iowa to fill Bryant's spot.
"He's not going to be ready for the next two or three days so why mess with it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Bryant. "Let's make sure he is well. The 10-day DL makes it more palatable, in a sense. We thought, let it calm down and cool down. The 10-day DL permits you to make decisions like this. The [15-day minimum under the previous rules], you might be a little more patient."

A year ago, Bryant hit 16 home runs in the first three months of the season. Could the shoulder be the reason for the power outage?
"I think it's the wind at Wrigley Field," Bryant quipped.
The discomfort in his shoulder has gone from sore to achy, he said. What hurt more was not being available for the team.
"That's the worst part -- me sitting on the bench knowing it was only a 24-man bench and Joe having to send up pitchers to pinch-hit, that's such a terrible feeling to be in," Bryant said. "It's a disservice to the team."
When was sidelined, the outfielder said he took advantage of the time off and worked on his swing. It seemed to pay off.
"J-Hey did use his time well," Bryant said. "I'll find ways to take full advantage of my situation."